Turkeys internet infatuation comes with consequences

The increasing use of smartphones and social media in Turkey has brought psychological consequences along with its benefits, as growing numbers of internet users find themselves “dependent.”

Among Turkish youth, internet usage has reached 90 percent, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the International Social Media Association (USMED) Said Ercan told Anadolu Agency.

“The young population in Turkey uses social media very actively,” said Ercan, adding that internet addiction is on the rise.

Psychological side effects of internet use—including fear of kidnapping, social withdrawal and “FOMO,” or fear of missing out—are increasing, added Ercan.

Among consumers suffering from media-related psychological distresses, 43 percent describe themselves as “dependent” on social media and the internet.

According to We Are Social’s “Digital in 2017: Global Overview” report, more than half the world’s population now uses a smartphone.

In Turkey, 60 percent of the population is connected to the internet, with 71 million mobile phone users and 42 million social media users in a population nearing 80 million, the report said.

Turkish internet users spent an average of seven hours a day on the computer, three hours on a phone and three hours on social media, according to the report. An average of two hours were spent watching television.

Of all internet users in Turkey, 75 percent accessed the web on a smartphone.

More than half of the world’s internet traffic comes from smartphones, with over half of the world’s population shopping online in the past 30 days, the report added.